title: Color Perception in Pediatric Patient Room Design: American versus Korean Pediatric Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study simultaneously addresses the issues of the scarcity of information about pediatric patient color preferences, conflicting findings about the impact of culture on color preferences, and limitations of previous research instruments. Effects of culture and gender on color preferences were investigated using American and Korean pediatric patients.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Much of the existing research in environmental design has focused on environments for healthy children and adults, but those findings cannot be confidently applied to environments for pediatric patients. In previous studies, the impact of culture on color preferences has been suggested, though the effects appear to vary. Moreover, the results of previous studies were typically based on perceptions of small color chips, which are different from seeing a color on wall surfaces. Previous studies also failed to control for confounding variables such as color attributes and light sources.
  
  
  METHODS
  Instead of using color chips, this study used physical model simulation to investigate environmental color preferences in real contexts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cultural difference was found in white. Other than white, no significant cultural difference was found. Gender differences were found across both of the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Korean pediatric patients showed significantly higher preference scores for white than Americans did. Other than white, both groups reported blue and green as their most preferred colors; white was the least preferred. Both groups reported similar gender effects. Overall, male patients reported significantly lower preference scores for red and purple than female patients did. These results can help healthcare providers and professionals better understand appropriate colors for pediatric populations.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Evidence-based design, healing environment, patients, pediatric, satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Jin Gyu "Phillip" Park, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Design, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #305100, Denton, TX 76203-5017; phillip.park@unt.edu.
authors.forename: Jin Gyu
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Phillip Park
authors.forename: Changbae
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003116:Color; D003118:Color Perception; D004777:Environment; D006801:Humans; D057240:Patient Preference; D010362:Patients' Rooms